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News Briefs for September 21, 2018

•Beam Suntory has launched Noe Simple Task, the second edition of its Little Book whiskey series. The 59.4%-abv whiskey is a blend of 9-year-old Kentucky straight rye, 13-year-old Canadian rye, and 40-year-old Canadian corn whisky. According to the company, distiller Freddie Noe was inspired to blend Canadian whisky and Kentucky rye while visiting distilleries in Alberta, Canada. Little Book Noe Simple Task is rolling out now across the U.S. in limited quantities for a suggested price of $100.

•Luxco is introducing a barrel strength variant of its Old Ezra Kentucky Straight Bourbon. The 58.5%-abv whiskey is aged for seven years and packaged in bottles embossed with Ezra Brooks’ “EB” monogram and the Lux Row Distillers logo. Old Ezra Barrel Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon is hitting shelves nationwide at a suggested retail price of $40 a 750-ml. Ezra Brooks was up 18.5% to 260,000 cases in 2017, according to Impact Databank.

•Camus Cognac is launching a new expression in the ultra-premium tier. Retailing at $199 a 750-ml., Camus XO Borderies Family Reserve is a single-estate Cognac produced exclusively from the Camus family’s private vineyard in the Borderies cru. The Borderies is the historical cru where Cognac production began approximately 500 years ago. Camus’ new Borderies XO is rolling out nationwide. The brand will follow with a VSOP Borderies Family Reserve in the first quarter of next year. Camus was up 5.5% globally last year to 475,000 cases.

•This month, the Fladgate Partnership is debuting two limited-release Port wines. Taylor Fladgate Historical Collection Reserve Tawny is a 20%-abv blend aged in seasoned Port casks. The release is packaged in an 18th century-style bottle and will retail for around $60 a 750-ml. Meanwhile, Croft Port, another house within the Fladgate Partnership, will release a Croft 430th Anniversary Reserve Ruby. The 20%-abv wine will retail for $25. Fladgate’s brands are handled by Kobrand in the U.S.

•Florida-based Hemingway Rum Company has released Papa’s Pilar Bourbon Barrel Finished Rum in select markets across the U.S. The 47.5%-abv rum is initially matured in a solera that blends rums aged in American oak barrels, Port casks, and Sherry casks before finishing in Bourbon barrels. The overproof rum is rolling out this month in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington for around $45 a 750-ml.